You could own a piece of B.C. history with this well-known home

A historic home in Kelowna is looking for a new owner.

The W.A.C Bennett House at 1988 Bowes Street - which has been on a lease basis by the Strata Corporation for the last 20 to 25 years - has withdrawn from that arrangement and returned the property to the Bennett family.

W.A.C. Bennett was the longest serving premier in B.C. history (1952 to 1972), while his son Bill Bennett served as premier from 1975 to 1986.

Construction on the house started in 1912 and finished in 1914. It has been within the family for over 80 years.

Peter Chataway, of the Central Okanagan Heritage Society, told Kelowna10 while the building is for sale, the goal is to find a "low impact" use for it. This is to not only preserve the authenticity, but minimize the impact on its neighbouring structures.

“We've come up with the idea of a public archive, which is a place to store the collections and the history of the Bennett family and Bill and his wife, and their three children, who each have huge stories of historical significance,” he said. “We think some kind of archive would have very minimal impact on the neighbors and contribute significantly to the history of our province.”

The five-bed, three-bath, 4,900 sq/ft house underwent significant restoration in 1998, including roof structure improvements and interior redecoration, sensitively handled by interior designer Holly Bate.

The restoration efforts maintained the original feel and tone of the house, allowing it to stand as a testament to the rich history of the region.

Chataway noted W.A.C. Bennett’s wife May, was a very private person.

However, there was one major, and very public tradition that took place outside every year.

“They hosted a community garden party on the open grass, which is still out there as part of the strata property and up to 15,000 people would show up on the grounds to celebrate summer in the Okanagan,” he explained.

“They would have that lovely experience of meeting your neighbors and sharing experiences. So that was a great event that occurred annually on this property for many decades.”

The house is being sold through the Jane Hoffman Realty Group for almost $3 million.